NBA Starting 5 (GPP): Friday, February 24th
What is up, everyone? Welcome back to another edition of the NBA GPP Starting 5. Man, does time fly? The All-Star break has come and gone, and as usual, it was a pretty disappointing All-Star weekend. I really hope that it does not turn into the Pro Bowl, because we all know how that has turned out. We continue to have a roller coaster season and it only got crazier with the trade deadline.
Getting back on track, my recent picks have been on point, but we need to start fading the Knicks more often until they figure out their issues. Hopefully I can repeat the recent success and get to the golden five for five that we all love to see. One thing I would like to mention is that these picks are done earlier in the day, so follow me on twitter for my updates if someone were to be a late scratch or has been ruled out. As usual, these picks are tournament only unless stated otherwise.
Today we have a solid 10-game slate, so let’s take a look.
Point Guard: Isaiah Thomas, Boston Celtics – $9,000 on DraftKings
This position is usually my favorite and easiest position on most nights, but I had trouble finding anything that I really love. One guy that stood out to me was Isaiah Thomas and there are a few reasons why. One is his recent price drop. We have not seen him this low since his offensive outburst he went on. Second is his high usage rate (34%), as Boston relies on him to keep them in any game and that will not stop anytime soon.
The Boston Celtics will head to Toronto to take on the Raptors in what Vegas has pegged to be a high scoring close game. This matchup here is sneaky for Thomas, as Lowry is not the defensive player we have been used to in the past. Reason being, in my opinion, Lowry is everywhere on the court and uses up so much energy that it shows on the defensive end. On paper it is not the greatest matchup because Toronto has shown above league average against point guards, which is what makes this a sneaky spot to target. Not to mention last time out, Isaiah torched the Raptors with 44 real-life points.
Shooting Guard: Seth Curry, Dallas Mavericks – $4,500
I am assuming this play will become chalky, but that does not scare me at all, because this is a great spot for Curry regardless of ownership. He can be targeted in all formats with the release of Deron Williams. We will not see him at this low price tag very long and we have seen his upside when given the opportunity. In his last four games, he has had only one under 25 fantasy points and he will reach that here with no problem. On the season he is shooting over 40% from three, and that is what we love to see on a site like DraftKings.
The Mavericks will head to Minnesota to take on the Timberwolves, who have been mediocre against shooting guards since LaVine got injured. The matchup does not scare me at all, and if anything, the game being played in Minnesota should help speed up this slow Dallas team. Vegas has the game with a 204 total, which may change throughout the day. I will be saving salary here with Curry and taking my chances elsewhere.
Small Forward: T.J. Warren, Phoenix Suns – $4,600
This is another play that will be hard to pass up on point per dollar. With P.J. Tucker being traded to the Raptors, it should open up a good amount of minutes for Warren. We have seen what he was capable of in the beginning of the season, as he was playing decently before the All-Star break. I do think he gets close to 30 minutes here, and he is a player that has shown he can get in done in all categories. In his last four games prior to the All-Star break, Warren had four blocks and four steals.
Now, on to his matchup against the tanking Bulls. Jimmy Butler defense does scare me a little, but with all the drama we have seen in Chicago he has not looked locked in like we have seen in the past. Now, throw in his low price tag and it only makes it easier to stomach against a strong defender. This is a game that Vegas believes to be higher scoring, which bodes well for Warren. Regardless of his ownership, I will have good exposure to Warren in this spot.
Power Forward: Blake Griffin, Los Angeles Clippers – $8,600
Now that we have saved some salary at other positions, I will pay up a little here for Blake Griffin. He will most likely go overlooked in this spot. The CP3 news will be worth watching, but that still will have minor effects on this pick. His price is at a point where he can return good value, and recently has been very consistent without one game under 40 fantasy points in his last five, not including last night’s game.
His matchup against the San Antonio Spurs is what will scare most people away. The Spurs are a great defensive team, don’t get me wrong, but hear me out. Griffin is virtually matchup proof on most nights, and with this game being played at Los Angeles, that makes it even better. These two teams always seem to bring it against one another and Griffin could be very sneaky in tournaments with the upside he provides. Not saying it isn’t risky, but with his track record, I am more than willing to take a shot and make him one of my favorite tournament plays.
Center: Rudy Gobert, Utah Jazz – $7,100
I love this spot for Rudy Gobert,, as he has been one of the most consistent centers in the NBA this season. He is coming off five straight games with a double-double and has nine blocks as well in those five games. Center is a position that I love to target consistent players and he grades out as the definition of just that. He will most likely go overlooked here with the other options on the slate.
Rudy Gobert has a plus matchup against the Bucks, who have shown time and time again this season that they struggle against centers. The last time these two teams matched up, Rudy had himself a big night with 26 points and 14 rebounds. One matchup’s result is not indicative of repeat success, but it does mean something. Gobert will have his way in the paint, and if I can get him at low ownership, that only makes it that much better.